Advertising device



c. H. PERKINS ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed March 25,

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33 MAM m m MUM I Am 1925. 1,537,547 c. H. PERKINS ADVERTISING DEVIGE Filed March "25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ckarzesjyrekiz awe mag Patented May 12, 1925 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicia.

'CHARLESH. PERKINS, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

Application filecl March 25,1924. Seria1 No. 701,751.

To all whom it may. concern:

Be it knownthat'l, CHARLES H. PERKINS. a citizen of the UnitedStates, andresident of Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented cer-' .be mystifying-in its character so that the observer will stop and watch the movements of thepartsin an attempt to determine the cause of movement.

Another and; important object is the provision of a device as above which willbe attractive in its form so that when made to carry advertising matter, it will have sales value.

To this end the invention includes a hiddencarriage moved by any suitable means, and upon which is supported a table having a flexible covering in contact with the top of the carriage. A vehicle or a like device is adapted to be placed upon the table, the wheels thereof engaging a part of the carriage through the flexible covering of the table so that when the carriage is moved like movement will be imparted to the vehide. The carriage being entirely hidden. the observer will not be aware of the cause of movement of the visible vehicle or movable object. The path of travel of the movable object or vehicle will be determined by circumstances and may be straight or circuitous, as desired.

I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of the invention, although I do not wish to be limited to the exact structure shown therein.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of my device.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a detail of the driving mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation.

I Fig.5 is a plan View of the hidden carriage.

[Fig 6is a partialfront elevation of the device of' Fig. 5.

7 is a diagrammatic showing of 'the driving mechanism.

I have shown abase l'having a channel 2 therein within'which passes a drive band or chain '3, which passes over a driven pulley 4': countersunk into the'base '1 softhat the upper surface thereof is 'flush'w-ith the upper surface of the base. The lower periphery of thepulley 4 istoothed' as at 5 and is'engaged by a worm gear 6 provided with a beveled gear 7 at its end which in turn is driven by a motor 8 through shaft 9 and gear 10. An idler 11 may be similarly mounted inthe' base -1 to guide the band or chain 3 at the other end of the base. 'As manyidlers may be placed on the base as desired, in order to give the desired formto thepath.

The hidden carriage maybe made to consist of a frame 12 composed of two parts pivoted as at 13 to permit the device to travel around corners with ease, each part carrying an axlel with wheels 15 having preferably, rubber tires thereon to make the movement of the carriage noiseless. The

frame 12 is provided with upstanding ears 16 whichsupportbetween themselves roilers. These rollers may assume various forms, and I have illustrated two satisfactory forms in the drawings. These are shown to consist of two grooved wheels 1.? mounted upon an axle 18, and at the rear a wooden roller 1 9 provided with stub axles 20 which support the roller for free rotation in the ears. The purpose of these rollers will be more fully described hereinafter.

A rear supporting surface 21 is provided and attached to the frame 12, and projects upwardly in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter. This hidden carriage is provided with a hook element attach ing the axles 14 to the drive band or chain 3. These parts project into the channel 9.

A table which may consist of legs 22 which support a frame work or skeleton 23, has stretched over itself a covering 24 of fabric, rubber or other material which will support the movable element on the top thereof. The legs 22 are of such a height that the wheels 17 and roller 19 and the supporting surface 21 will just clear the under side of the covering 24.

Supposing for instance the visible movable element to be that of an automobile or the like, which I have illustrated generally at 26. This device has front wheels 27 which are adapted to rest and be supported between the grooves of the wheels 17 and the roller 19. The wheel 17 and roller 19 are placed sufliciently close together so that there will only be a slight depression in the covering 24, yet far enough apart so that the front wheels 27 will be entirely held between the parts mentioned. The covering 24 is to be placed on the skeleton frame work 23 loose enough toallow this condition to exist. The rear wheels 28 of the vehicle will be found to rest upon that part of the covering 24 directly over the supporting surface 21.

When power is applied to the pulley 4 by means of the motor 8 and its assembly, the hidden carriage will be moved thereby, and like movement will be transmitted to the movable element on top of the covering 24. In turning a corner the inside wheel of the hidden carriage will travel around on the pulley 4 or the idler 11 as it reaches these points. I

It may be found necessary to make the front Wheels a trifle heavier than the rear Wheels of the visible vehicle in order that they may rest between the grooved wheels 17 and the roller 19.

It will be perfectly obvious that vehicles other than an automobile may be placed on top of the covering 24, as any object which travels upon wheels or rollers may be used and will operate in substantially the same The upper surface of the covering 24 may be made to simulate a street or highway, or railroad track, and various pantomimes may be staged in and around the entire device to increase the attractiveness of the display, and to get the attention of the passer-by.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An advertising device including a hidden carriage, means to move said carriage, a movable visible element above the carriage, said hidden carriage including two rotatable elements in proximity to each other, said visible movable element including a wheel supported between the two rotatable elements of the hidden carriage.

2. The device of claim 1, said hidden carriage having a rolling supporting surface and a sliding supporting surface, the visible movable element having parts supported upon each of the supporting surfaces of the hidden carriage.

3. A device of the character described in cluding a hidden carriage, means to move said carriage, spaced apart wheels carried by said carriage, a sheet of flexible material above said wheels and a movable member including wheels resting upon the flexible sheet and being supported by the carriage wheels, whereby movement of the carriage will cause movement of the visible movable element;

4. A device of the character described in cluding a movable hidden carriage, means to move said carriage, a substantially flat supporting surface at the rear of said carriage and two spaced apart wheels at the front thereof, a sheet of flexible material overlying the carriage wheels and the substantially flat supporting surface, a visible movable element resting upon said sheet of material and having a part thereof sup ported by the substantially fiat supporting surface and another portion supported by the spaced apart carriage wheels, whereby movement of the hidden carriage will cause corresponding movement of the movable visible element.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signa ture.

CHARLES H. PERKINS. 

